New York, NY – Henrik Lundqvist stopped all 20 shots he faced and Rick Nash scored twice as the New York Rangers silenced the New Jersey Devils, 4-0, in the season finale for both teams from Madison Square Garden.
Derek Stepan and Ryan Callahan contributed a goal and assist each for the Rangers (26-18-4), who finished the season in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers will play Washington in the first round of the playoffs.
"You're (damn) right I'm proud of 'em. I like 'em. I think it's a good team," said Rangers head coach John Tortorella, after his club finished 9-3-1 since the trade deadline to snag a postseason berth.
Lundqvist, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, notched his second shutout of the season.
Johan Hedberg made 17 saves for the Devils (19-19-10), who lost for just the second time in their last six to complete a season without playoff action.
"We were not good. It was a bad situation that we did not handle well," stated Devils head coach Peter DeBoer.
Stepan opened the scoring at 2:37 of the first period, a one-timer from the slot off a Callahan dish.
Callahan made it 2-0 shortly into a New Jersey power play, breaking up the middle and beating Hedberg through the pads as he tried for a poke check inside of a minute remaining in the first period.
New York assumed a 3-0 edge with 2:37 left in the second period, as Brad Richards stole the puck from a Devils defender and fed in front to Nash for a high wrister to the near side.
Nash struck again at the 5 1/2 minute mark of the third, the end point of a three-way pass play which began between Mats Zuccarello and Richards.
Game Notes
The Rangers won three of four in the season series ... New York has beaten New Jersey in seven of the last nine games in Manhattan ... Nash collected his fourth multi-goal effort of the season ... The Devils were blanked for the fourth time in the last 12 contests.
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